Home » 28 AWESOME Things To Watch From HOME During Singapore’s Covid-19 Circuit Breaker

28 AWESOME Things To Watch From HOME During Singapore’s Covid-19 Circuit Breaker

Here's how to get out of your entertainment rut until you can get out of the house again!

14 May 2020

(image: Wild Rice)

Are you bored with your usual shows, movies or videos yet?

Us, too! Watch these livestreams, new and old series, must-see movies, concert highlights, behind-the-scenes videos and more. They’ll offer a break from reality until Singapore is done taking its own break from life as usual.

(Is your Internet connection too slow to stream online movies and the like? Don’t despair! Poh Kim offers free delivery on its thousands of DVD, Blu-Ray and 4K UHD videos. It has plenty of picks to choose from in four different languages – Chinese, English, Korean and Japanese – plus you can even pre-order.)

1. Global Film Festival

As Reuters reported in late April, “More than 20 film festivals around the world have joined together to stream movies free on YouTube after the coronavirus pandemic shuttered movie theatres and forced the cancellation of annual showcases in Cannes and New York.

The 10-day We Are One: A Global Film Festival will feature content curated by the Berlin, Cannes, Venice, Sundance, Toronto and Tribeca film festivals, among others.”

Anticipation is understandably high for this first-of-its-kind virtual film festival, which will run from 29 May to 7 June. Put it on your calendars, people. It’s gonna be epic.

2. Mini Concerts

If you’re feeling claustrophobic being stuck inside your house during the circuit breaker, imagine being one of today’s biggest music artists performing on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert web series.

Not familiar with NPR? It’s what used to be called National Public Radio in the U.S., and its addictive Tiny Desk Concerts – literally staged in a bookcase-lined office cubicle – now number nearly 1,000. Fall down the rabbit hole with small-but-mighty shows by Adele, Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, The Lumineers, Los Lobos, the unlikely duo of Sting and Shaggy, the Jonas Brothers, Lizzo and pretty much everyone in between!

Info: Watch them on NPR’s site or YouTube. Bonus: NPR has been putting out Tiny Desk (Home) Concerts since late March, and there’s an eclectic collection of artists (think Lady Princess and Rodrigo y Gabriela), which you can also enjoy here.

3. Award-Winning Movie Parasite Online

(image: Instagram Parasitemovie)

At this point, who hasn’t heard of Parasite? Bong Joon-ho’s masterpiece made history at the Oscar’s by picking up a Best Picture award (among many others), and for good reason! The film boasts some great performances and beautiful cinematography, as it follows a poor family in Korea trying to escape out of poverty.

Info: If you didn’t have a chance to see it before the circuit breaker, or you’re just up for a rewatch – you can stream it now on Hulu or rent or buy it on AppleTV+, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play and other digital platforms (check for availability).

4. Sharks Feeding and Turtles Having ‘Tea’

The Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium might be shut in the light of coronavirus-related restrictions, but the team there continues to care for its charges, sharing regular updates and livestreams of everything from penguin encounters to “tea time” with turtles to shark feeds.

Members of the aquarium’s education team are also on hand to explain the ins and outs of looking after the animals and take questions from those tuned in.

Info: Feedings take place at various times, but past livestreams and announcements on upcoming livestreams are available via the aquarium’s Facebook page.

5. The Northern Lights

(image: Explore.org)

Chasing the elusive Aurora Borealis can take hours of waiting in the cold.

A more comfortable alternative is to watch them via a livestream from the Churchill Northern Studies Center in Churchill, a remote town in eastern Canada that is also known as the polar bear capital of the world.

Bored while waiting?

Chat with a community of virtual Northern Lights chasers who share weather updates and screenshots of the aurora borealis when they manage to spot them. It is the next best thing to making new friends while standing outside in the snow.

6. Celebrities Performing from their Living Rooms

In March, Elton John hosted a livestream iHeart Living Room Concert for America with the likes of Camila Cabello, Shawn Mendes, Demi Lovato and Dave Grohl performing from their own living rooms.

The lineup also included Green Day lead vocalist Billie Joe Armstrong, singing the sombre “Boulevard Of Broken Dreams” while strumming a guitar, and the Backstreet Boys performing “I Want It That Way”, harmonising perfectly despite being in different locations.

Separately (get it?), music artists and acts from John Legend and Coldplay’s Chris Martin to OneRepublic and The Vamps have shared #TogetheratHome concerts on YouTube, too.

Info: If you missed the former’s livestream, you can still catch clips of the performances on Fox’s YouTube channel, while you can catch #TogetheratHome performances also on YouTube.

7. Some Funny Stuff

If this circuit breaker business – and the resultant lack of human contact – is starting to get to you, may we suggest you watch some new comedy specials? After all, laughter is the best medicine, right?

As The New York Times recently reported, the five new funny fests range from Jerry Seinfeld: 23 Hours to Kill on Netflix to Cole Escola’s one-man variety show on YouTube “packed full of a dizzying number of his eccentric characters”. Note: Some of the comedy experiences are audio-only.

Info: See links above.

8. The Magic of the Bolshoi Ballet

You do not have to fly to Moscow to catch ballet performances by the legendary Bolshoi Theatre. Enjoy classics, including Swan Lake and The Sleeping Beauty, streamed online for free.

9. Broadway Shows… on Broadway

(image: BroadwayHD)

Sure, Broadway shows come to Singapore (or used to before the circuit breaker), but nothing beats watching them on NYC’s Great White Way itself. So, theatre buffs here take note: BroadwayHD.com has introduced a free seven-day trial period to its subscription service in the wake of the coronavirus shutdowns.

In order to get to the goodies, you’ll first need to pick either the US$8.99 per month or US$99.99 annual subscription plan. But the charges will only kick in after seven days. You might even want to stay subscribed after the circuit breaker because this platform is a smorgasbord of content.

There are the crowd-pleasing musicals such as An American in Paris and Oklahoma! as well as more highbrow offerings like British director Phyllida Lloyd’s astonishing take on Henry IV, set in a women’s prison, and archival gems like a 1973 version of The Glass Menagerie starring Katherine Hepburn.

The one bummer: Not all the latest hit musicals are available. There’s no Hamilton, for example, nor The Book of Mormon.

10. More Broadway Bonuses!

If you don’t know who Andrew Lloyd Webber is, just skip on down and read about the next thing to watch. For the rest of you, musical hit-maker been streaming his greatest shows on the YouTube channel The Shows Must Go On every Friday. So far, the shows have included Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Phantom of the Opera and its sequel Love Never Dies. The much-mocked Cats is streaming Friday, 15 May.

Separately, Disney recently announced that it will be moving up the release of its movie of the musical Hamilton (again, if you haven’t heard of this one, keep scrolling) to 3 July. It will be available exclusively on Disney Plus. Get excited!

Info: See links above.

11. Behind the Scenes of the Singapore Airshow

(image: The Straits Times)

Singapore launched its first International Air Show 59 years ago, in early April of 1961, and this was recognised as its proudest aviation achievement at the time.

Fighter jets and other military aircraft from Britain’s Royal Air Force thrilled crowds with an aerial display and then Deputy Prime Minister Toh Chin Chye said he hoped the air show would “awake citizens’ interest in the aviation industry”.

Almost six decades later, aviation continues to enthral. Find out how the Singapore Airshow has evolved over the years with a behind-the-scenes look at the 2020 instalment on The Backend Show.

Multimedia journalist Kimberly Jow of The Straits Times speaks to the people behind the highly anticipated aerial acrobatics and learns the strict rules pilots have to follow.

12. Sports Documentaries on Netflix

(image: Netflix)

While there have been many sports-themed box-office hits – such as Rocky (1976), Remember the Titans (2000) and Moneyball (2011) – a number of excellent documentaries have also been produced in recent times.

Icarus (2017) won an Oscar for its expose of Russia’s state-sponsored doping programme; Senna (2010) looks at the life and death of the iconic Brazilian Formula One racer; while Conor McGregor: Notorious (2017) chronicles the mixed-martial arts superstar’s rise in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

14. Beastie Boys Story and More on AppleTV+

(image: Apple)

Released 24 April, the Beastie Boys Story is a documentary on the titular New York trio of rappers by the director of Her, Spike Jonze, who – bee tee dubs – also directed the music video for the Beastie Boys’ 1994 hit Sabotage. In this doc, members Adam Horovitz and Mike Diamond discuss the group’s 40-year friendship, and its explosion in popularity after hip-hop turned mainstream in the late 1980s.

Info: If you sign up for AppleTV+’s one-week trial, you get seven days for free, then it’s US$6.98 a month. But you’ll also get to enjoy original series like the new Defending Jacob, which follows a family sideswiped by an accusation that their 14-year-old son is a murderer, as well as popular ones like The Morning Show and kid-friendly Helpsters.

15. Free Programmes by Brahm Centre

Brahm Centre, a charity that promotes happier and healthier living, has curated free programmes – from exercise to online seminars to talks – to benefit the community during this circuit breaker period.

There are workouts conducted in the mornings and evenings from Mondays to Saturdays. (Looking for more at-home fitspo? Check out these 10 awesome apps.)

Associate Professor Angie Chew, the charity’s founder and chief executive, conducts a mindfulness session in English from 6 to 6:30 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; and mindfulness psychologist Eric Lim conducts the session in English and Mandarin Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Dr. Naras Lapsys, a nutrition and longevity specialist at The Wellness Clinic, speaks from 12:30 to 1 p.m. from Mondays to Fridays on how to live a healthier life.

16. Highlights of Past Esplanade Concerts Online

(image: Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay)

Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay has a The Show Goes On…line series, where it releases highlights from performances from its archives every Friday.

Among the shows are a concert last month by Fredo, frontman of 1970s Singapore band The Flybaits, and a November 2019 performance by Singapore pop-duo StellaVee. Amongst the most recent uploads: a 2017 show by Singapore singer Kelly Pan.

17. Kid-Friendly Esplande Offerings, Too!

Also on the Esplanade’s Offstage website, scroll down the list of genres and you’ll hit the Families section, which is where the kid-friendly content can be found.

Tweens will enjoy the I Kid You Not video series, of which there are six to date, featuring three tweens. Each tween is featured in two videos, one in which they talk about the art forms they practise and love, and another in which they teach clueless adults their practice. The latter videos are a hoot.

For younger children, parents should check out the illustrated folktales which will make for perfect bedtime reading sessions. 40 Trees, 1 Arrow is inspired by the Ramayana and tells the story of how Rama and Laksamana defeated a giant serpent. Story Of Nian is about the monster that inspired Chinese New Year traditions. 40 Trees has quirky faux naif illustrations by Brandon Ong while Ang Wei Tyng’s dynamic Nian monster is more cute than scary. Even the adults will appreciate their stylish illustrations.

Even cuter? The DIY family activities for PIP, the Esplanade’s mascot for its kids’ programme. The How Do You Feel Today activity offers adorable dinosaurs in a downloadable template for children to make into magnets.

18. Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey

(image: Warner Brothers)

One of cinema’s most influential films – director Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey – premiered at the Uptown Theater in Washington, DC, this month in 1968.

The film, which has influenced artists and scientists alike, is still feted, more than half a century later, for its groundbreaking special effects and vision of space exploration. Pop some corn and settle in for a cinematic spectacle.

19. Wild@Home

Wild Rice, one of Singapore’s leading professional theatre companies and a not-for-profit charity, has opted to make some of its most popular shows available to watch from the comfort of your own living room. Plus, they’re offering up the content for free. Yay!

While Supervision is no longer available, due to overwhelming demand, you can catch Emily of Emerald Hill (pictured at top) for an encore run from 15 May (Friday), 7:30 p.m., through to 17 May (Sunday), 11:59 p.m. And Monkey Goes West is available through to 22 May, 3 p.m.

20. Old or New Shows on Netflix

(image: Sony)

All six seasons of Community hit Netflix in April. Not already fan? Here’s a quick synopsis for your binging purposes: It follows the trials and tribulations of Jeff Winger – a disgraced lawyer who had his degree revoked and has to enroll in a community college to get a new one. He soon finds himself in a study group filled with a lovably diverse cast of characters, and hilarious hijinks ensue – including but not limited to a campus-wide paintball war, a Dungeons & Dragons game gone terribly wrong, a stop-motion animated Christmas episode and an actual zombie apocalypse.

Meanwhile, new to Netflix, Extraction stars Chris Hemsworth as Tyler Rake, a black market mercenary hired to rescue a crime lord’s kidnapped son. Tyler has to deal with weapons dealers and drug traffickers alike in an action-packed and utterly dangerous mission. Side note: The movie is written by Joe Russo – one half of the directing duo behind Avengers: Endgame! (Or, check out Her World‘s curated list of Netflix show to binge on. Right. Now.)

21. The Metropolitan Opera’s Live in HD Encore Presentations

(image: Metropolitan Opera)

The famed Metropolitan Opera has been broadcasting performances live from its Lincoln Center home since 2006. Live performances may be cancelled, but opera fans can head to the Met Opera’s homepage where every day, one opera from this long-running series will be available for 24 hours for free.

Recently, it featured a Wagner Week, in which Das Rheingold with Wendy Bryn Harmer and Bryn Terfel kicked off the series at 7:30 p.m. New York time, which means Wednesday morning, 7:30 p.m. Singapore time, just SYK.

Info: Click on link above to splash into the stream.

22. Royal Opera House

The English counterpoint to BroadwayHD and the Metropolitan Opera’s livestream (see both above) is the Royal Opera House’s curated programme.

The selection of operas and ballets, including La Traviata and Alice In Wonderland, are hosted on Marquee TV.

Info: To get access, you will have to sign up for a 30-day free trial on the Marquee TV site. The service costs US$8.99 (S$13) a month or a special promotion rate of US$69.99 for an annual subscription.

23. Storytelling Sessions

(image: National Library Board)

This last one also goes out to the little ones! Namely, the National Library Board (NLB) is now doing weekly storytelling sessions in the four official languages for children aged between 4 and 10. These pre-recorded sessions, hosted by librarians, volunteers and authors, last about five minutes each and are accessible via the library’s Facebook pages.

Bonus: Voracious readers will also be happy to learn that they can now instantly access more than 300 popular titles for children and teens in the Libby app under a new Always Available section.

Info: See links above.

24. Fashion Brands’ Social Media Offerings

Some of the biggest labels are providing entertainment and edu-tainment on their social media platforms.

Choose from Chloé Voices, a social media performance series featuring talents such as Ellie Goulding; Bottega Veneta’s showcase of chefs, artists, writers, musicians, film directors and designers; and many more! Read the full roundup of fashion-centric entertaining options on Harper’s Bazaar Singapore site. Or, find out about online fashion workshops, exhibitions and more, courtesy of CLEO.

Info: See links above.

25. Docuseries on Paintings Celebrating SG’s Heartland

(image: SPRMRKT, Leow Wei Li)

Catch an online docuseries featuring Homemade, a new collection of work by local artist Leow Wei Li that includes 16 paintings celebrating the heartland and products from local supermarkets, baking stores as well as convenience and hardware stores. The first episode is available on food and beverage outlet SPRMRKT at Dempsey Hill’s social media channels. It offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse of Leow’s making of the artworks plus a first-hand look at the pieces.

26. E-Sports and Online Gaming Streams

Regular sporting events have been put on hiatus and beaten a hasty retreat to the virtual realm.

Watch livestreams of esports such as Fifa online or catch Formula 1 drivers racing pro-gamers on virtual tracks and see who comes out on top.

This may also be the time to finally find out why there is so much fuss over popular gaming streamers such as Tyler “Ninja” Blevins, who made about US$10 million (S$14.2 million) in 2018 by making videos of himself playing games and entertaining people from home.

Info: Check Ninja’s steam on Mixer. Also, see which games – including many esports entries – made The Game Awards 2019 shortlist to help you beat boredom while you’re stuck at home.

27. Cave Paintings and More

The prehistoric cave markings date back 36,000 years and have been photographed in pristine condition. The most important markings are discussed in detail during the virtual tour. Plus, there are high-resolution pictures for viewers to see the art in detail.

28. The Projector’s Latest Release Online

(image: The Projector)

Indie cinema The Projector has launched virtual projects during the circuit breaker, with online screenings and even a short film competition on its platform.

It is now offering a video-on-demand screening of the film Sorry We Missed You (shown). Directed by British filmmaker Ken Loach, it was chosen to compete for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival last year. The story explores the effects of the gig economy on families and the struggles faced by the working class.

Info: Find the link to rent Sorry We Missed You at The Projector. The rental fee is $9.99 for a 24-hour viewing window. Half of the proceeds will go to independent cinema The Projector, now closed temporarily as part of the island-wide coronavirus containment measures.